Amusement device



June 21, 1960 J. c. BALCH 2,941,800

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June'26, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ.

INVENTOR. Josa n C. BALCH BY ATTO ZHEY-s June 21, 1960 J. c. BALCH AMUSEMENT vsvxcs 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1959 INVENTOR. JosEPH C BALCH ATTOQHEYS June 21, 1960 J c. BALCH AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 26, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH C. BALQH BY e an 44mm 9i ATTORNEYS AMUSEMENT DEVICE Joseph C. Belch, Mile 34 Richardson Highway,

Fairbanks, Alaska Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,085

3 Claims. (Cl. 272- 39) This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and more particularly to a merry-go-round device for children.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved merry-go-round device for use by children, said device being simple in construction, being easy to operate, and being provided with means for varying the rate of speed at which the device rotates, whereby children occupying the device may change the speed of rotation thereof by simple manipulations, whereby to enhance the enjoyment and entertainment derived from the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved merry-go-round. device for children which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which provides a high degree of entertainment and amusement by enabling the occupants of the device to vary the speed of rotation thereof while the device is in operation by utilizing the momentum of the device and without requiring the use of any braking or other mechanical friction means to retard the, rate of rotation of the device.

Further objects and advantagesof the invention will be.- come apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top view of an improved amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional. view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional. detail view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional detail view taken longitudinally, through one of the cushioning springs employed in the device'of Figures 1, 2

and 3 and showing the manner in which one end of thespring is secured to one of the weight arms of the device and the manner in which the spring surrounds the connecting cable associated with the weight arm.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the cable connections of the device of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved amusement device of the merry-go-round type, in accordance with the present invention. The device 11 comprises a base 12 consisting of a horizontal plate member 13 formed with internally threaded sockets 15 in which are threadedly secured a plurality of outwardly extending radial horizontal arms 16, the arms 16, the arms being equally spaced, for example, being spaced at angles of 120 degrees, as shown. The arms 16 extend substantially horizontally and are formed at their outer ends with the horizontal, downwardly offset apertured lugs 17 through which extend the fastening stakes 18, the stakes being driven into the ground, as shown,

Smtes atcnt- 2,941,800 Patented June 21, 1960 or being secured in any other suitable underlying surface on which the device is employed.

The central base plate 13 is formed with the vertical upstanding stud 19 which is provided with the upwardly convergent conical upper bearing surface 20 terminating, in the upstanding bearing stud 21'. Designated at 22 is a vertical supporting sleeve which is rotatably mounted on the stud member 19, the bearing sleeve being provided with an internal bearing disc 23 rigidly secured therein and formed with a-central bearing, socket 24 rotatably engaging. on the rounded bearing stud 21, as shown in Figure 5. A spaced pair of roller bearings 25 and 26 are further providedv between the lower portion of sleeve 22and the conical upper stud portion 20,. and a further bearing bushing 27 may be provided on the bottom end ofthe sleeve 22, engaging the cylindrical lower portion oft-he stud 19, as shown in Figure 5. Diametrically opposed horizontal bracket bars 28, 28 are adjustably secured to the intermediate portion of the upstanding vertical sleeve member 22, and respective seats 29', 29 are adjustably secured to the outer ends of the bracket bars 28, 28. The bars 28, 28 may be of downwardly facing channel-shaped cross section and may be formed in their top walls with respective slots 31, 31, and the seats 29, 29 may be secured on the bars over said slots by suitable fastening bolts, 32 extending through the slots, whereby the positions of the seats on the bars 28 may be adjusted along, the slots 31, 31.

Rigidly secured to the. upper portion of the upstanding vertical sleeve member 22 are diametrically opposed, radially extending horizontal tubular arms 33, 33, said arms being in the same radial planes as the bracket bars: 28,. 28. Adjustably secured in the tubular arms 33, 33. are handle rods 34, 34 provided with the transverse handle bar portions 35, 35 at their outer ends.

As shown in Figure 2, the handle rods 34 extend over the bracket bars 28 and the transverse handle bars 35 are located within easy reach of a child occupying the adjacent seat 29. The handle bars 34 may be provided with spaced securing apertures 36 through which the fastening bolts 37, fastening the handle rods 34 in their associated sleeves 33 may extend.

As will be readily apparent, the handle rods 34 may be. fastened in the sleeves 33 by engaging the fastening bolts 37 through selected apertures 36 of the handle rods 34, the bolts 37 extending transversely through the associated tubular arms 33, as is clearly apparent from Figure 1. Wing nuts 38' are provided on. the ends of the bolts 37, whereby the bolts may be easily detached to change the adjustrrient of the handle rods 34, if so desired.

A plurality of upwardly and outwardly extending arms 33 are pivotally connected to the lower portion of the vertical supporting sleeves, 22, for example, two diametri- 'cally opposed arms 38 may be provided pivotally connested to respective. diametrically opposed lugs 39, 39 rigidly mounted on the lower portion of. the vertical sleeve 22. Slidably engaged on the arms 38 are respective weight members 40, 40, said members, for example, comprising suitable reservoirs which may be filled with water so as to provide a substantial. weight in the reservoir, the members 40 being provided with removable filler 41, as shown'in Figure 3. 'The respective weight members 40 are formed at their bottom ends with respective sleeve elements '42 which slidably engage on the respective arms 38, the sleeve elements being provided with looking screws 43, 43 which are threadedly en.- gaged through the sleeve elements 42 and which are clampingly engageable with the associated arms 38 to lock the members 40 in adjusted positions on said arms.

Stop caps 44 are provided on the outer ends of the weight arms. 38 to limit the upward adjustment of the weight members 40 and to prevent said weight members from being detached from the arms 38.

Designated at 45, 45 are a pair of diametrically opposed foot pedal members which -are pivotally connected at- 46, 46 to respective bracket members'47, 47 formed integrally on the sleeve member 22 below'the bracket bars 28, 28, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. The foot pedal members 45, 45 are provided at their outer ends with the transversely extending foot rod portions 48, 48 which are located so as to be engageable by the feet of children occupying the respective seats 29, 29.

The respective foot pedal. members 45,45 are con nected by cables 49, 49 to a common connection ring 50 disposed in the upper portion of the vertical sleeve 22, the ring 50 being connected by a short connecting cable 51"to another ring 52; A connecting cable 53 is connected between the intermediate portions of the weightarms 38, 38, and passes through the ring 52, the cable elements on opposite sides of n'ng'52 being supported on respective pulleys 54, 54 journaled to diametrically opposite sides of the upper portion of sleeve member 22 and being substantially coplanar with the respective weight arms 38, 38, as shown in Figure 3. Slots 55, 55 are provided in the top portion of the sleeve '22 for passage of the opposite side portions of the connecting cable-53, the pulley members 54, 54 being partially received in said slots, as shown in Figure 3. Similar slots 56, 56 are providedin the sleeve member 22 immediately above the bracket bars 28, 28, and respective pulleys 57,

57 are journaled to the sleeve member 22 with portions" of said pulleys received in the slots 56, 56, the cables 49, 49 extending around and under the pulleys 57, 57, as shown in Figure 2. Additional slots 60, 60 are provided in the bracket bars 28, 23, respective pulleys 61, 61 being journaled in the bracket bars and being partially received in said slots 60, 60, as shown in Figure 2. The cables 49, '49 extend over and around the pulleys 61, being fastened to rings 63, 63 provided on the pedal members 45, 45, as shown in Figure 2.

As will be readily apparent, downward force exertedon either of the transversely extending foot-engaging rod elements 48, 48 will be transmitted through the associated cable element 49 to the ring 50, and thence through the cable elements 51 and 53 to-the weight arms 38, '38,

' causing the weight arms to be elevated :and causing the associated weight members 40, 40 to be moved inwardly relative to the axis of the sleeve member 22. Therefore, if a child occupying one of the seats 29 exerts downward force on the adjacent foot pedal element 45 while the bracket bars 28 are rotating, the weight members 40, 40

will be moved inwardly, reducing their. radial distances to the axis of the supporting sleeve 22.- Since the members 40 have a substantial amount of inertia, the momentum of said, members causes themto rotate more rapidly as their radial distance from the axis of the member '22 is reduced. This causes the rotation of the seats 29 to speed up responsive to the downward movement of either of the pedal bars 45, 45. Conversely, therotation of the seats 29 may be slowed down by allowing the pedal bars 45, 45 to be elevated, namely, by allowing the weightmembers 40, 40 to descend. I

Therefore, in operation, children occupying the seats 29, 29 may control the speed of rotation of the merrygo-round device by manipulating the pedal bars 45,"

thereby greatly enhancing the amount of entertainment and amusement derived from the device by the children using same.

Suitable cushioning means may be provided to yieldably limit the movement of the weight arms 38 toward the vertical supporting sleeve 22 and to cushion any impact of the arms against the support, should-such occur. Thus, respective cushioning springs 70, 70 are secured to the arms 38, 38 around the connections 71, 71 of the cable 53 to the arms 38', 38, the-springs. 70 being coiledsprings of substantial lengths which surround the adjacent portions of the cable member 53, as shown in Figure 6. As will be apparent from Figure 3, the coiled springs 70 are engageable against the pulleys 54 in the event that the arms 38, 38 approach too closely to the vertical supporting sleeve 22.

While a specific embodiment of an improved amusement device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: ,4 I

1. An amusement device of the character described comprising a base, a vertical support rotatably mounted on said base, an outwardly extending bracket member secured to said support, a seat on the outer portion of said b'racketf member, an upwardly and outwardly extending arm pivoted to saidvertical'support, a weight member on the upper portion of said arm, a control member pivoted to said vertical support adjacent said bracket member, and means operatively connecting said control member to said arm and being constructed and arranged to vary the inclination of said arm responsive to rotation of said'control member, whereby to vary the speed of rotation of the seat around the vertical support produced by the momentum of the weight member in accordance with the variation of the radial distance of said weight member from said vertical support.

-2. An amusement device of'the character described comprising a base, a vertical support rotatablymounted' on said base, an outwardly extending bracket member ,pedal pivoted to said vertical support subjacent said bracket member, and'fiexible cable means operatively secured to said support, a seat on the outer portion of said bracket member, an upwardly and outwardly extending arm pivoted to said vertical support, a weight member on the upper portion of said arm, a control connecting said pedal to said arm and being constructed and arranged to vary the inclination of said arm responsive to rotation of said pedal, whereby to vary the speed of rotation of the seat around the vertical support produced by the momentum of the weight member in accordance with the variation of the radial distance of said weight member from said vertical support.

3. An amusement device of the character described comprising 'a'base, a vertical support rotatably mounted on said base, an outwardly extending bracket member secured to said support, a seat on the outer portion of said bracket member, a handle bar member mounted on the vertical support above said bracket member and extending toward said seat, an upwardly and outwardly extending arm pivoted to said vertical support, a weight member adjustably secured on the upper portion of said arm, a control pedal pivoted to said vertical support subjacent said bracket member, and flexible cable means extending through the bracket member and the upper portion of .said vertical support and operatively connecting said pedal to said arm and being constructed and arranged to vary the inclination of said arm responsive to rotation of said pedal, whereby to vary the speed of rotation of the seat around the vertical support produced by momentum. of 'the weight member in accordance with the variation of the radial distance of said weight member from said vertical support.

; References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,409 Howard July 21, 1896 2,211,876 Barnard Aug. 20, 1940 2,689,125 Wolbert Sept. 14, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Howe: Introduction to Physics, 2nd Edition, pages 117 and 118. 

